Air Force breaking ground on solar installation

The U.S. Air Force Academy will break ground Monday on a 6-megawatt solar installation. The switch to solar is expected to save the Academy $500,000 a year in electricity costs.

The $18.3 million project was funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and is another step in the Air Force NetZero initiative to generate all electricity needs from renewable resources by 2015. This solar installation is expected to be operational by summer 2011.

The project was planned by Colorado Springs Utilities, and will be built, owned and operated by SunPower Corporation. Executives from both organizations will be on hand for the groundbreaking, as well as Colorado Springs Mayor Lionel Rivera and Air Force Academy Lieutenant General Gould.

The event will take place Monday, November 1 at 3:00 pm. For more information click here.

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